Friday, March 6, 2009

Polly's Traditional Medicinal Hot Chocolate

Hot off the back of a weekend out in the wilds of Charleville Castle, this week has been sheer relief in the food stakes. No more Dunne's Stores Beef Curry boiled in a bag for me, or so I thought...

Our evening meal on Saturday had consisted of what I can only refer to pre-digested excreta containing lumps of beef, served with a tiny portion of boiled white rice. Each was given a choice of boil in the bag Beef Curry, Chicken Curry or Spaghetti Bolognaise for those of a weaker disposition.

The emphasis of the weekend being placed firmly on Camp Craft and NOT on cooking resulted in three lines of hungry scouts queuing up for sustenance as the light quickly faded. Considering the offending bags were still frozen solid and each billy can is only able to accommodate one meal at a time this proved to be somewhat of a challenge, but we survived!

Later in the evening, following a star lit hike through Charleville Forest one and all were cold and thirsty, needing something warm and sweet to ward off the imagined companions that'd accompanied us on our hike. Toasted marshmallows and hot chocolate for twenty proved to be just the thing to settle our troup down before bed...

Some five days later, having gladly left the meagre rations behind in the forest I am happy to report that I'm also dying with Coryza! (That's posh for a head cold...) After hours of sneezing fits, streaming eyes and half a box of tissues later I remembered the camp-fire hot chocolate and realised that this was just the cure required.

Admittedly it was just for me which of course simplified its preparation, as did the use of my trusty microwave oven. In just three minutes I was able to make the perfect medicinal hot chocolate. How? I used two teaspoons of Nutella in warmed milk and stirred it frantically for a few moments!

It may not be rocket science, but I can assure you that this rather odd way of making one of life's little childhood luxuries is A1! The hazelnut & chocolate spread can take a while to dissolve, although probably no more than conventional hot chocolate/drinking chocolate or cocoa. It also adds a touch of creamy luxury missing from most other attempts at making your own after ski chocolate drink at home.

There was only one thing missing from this afternoons mug and that was the shot of spiced Drambuie! As I still have to venture out to the school run, I am quite content to forego that particular pleasure, but it does add to what is already divine!

All credit goes to BB, my eldest son for the new method of spoiling oneself. Due to his absolute laziness/imagination there is a new family tradition to pass on to my grandchildren, assuming this horrid cold doesn't finish me off first...